"Plants can be plotted anywhere...": Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee addresses row over Tulsi plant
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 19 (ANI): Addressing the communal tension over planting Tulsi in place of a fruit vendor's shop, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it an insult to the sacred plant and said that people have the right to follow their religion.
On Wednesday, CM Mamata Banerjee said, 'If there can be a Dargah around Belur Math, why do such politics? Plants can be plotted anywhere... Do it with purity.'
She added, 'A few plants are given importance due to their divine connection. We offer Bel leaves to Shiv, Maa Durga, and Maa Kaali. I have 40 varieties of Tulsi in my house as well. The Tulsi plant has Laxmi and Narayan. The Tulsi plant should not be just anywhere; dignity must be maintained.'
Defending the fruit vendor, she said, 'A fruit vendor went home to celebrate a festival, and you planted a holy Tulsi plant in its place, insulting it? We offer Tulsi to Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna. If you wanted to plant Tulsi, why didn't you do so in your own house?'
She called this act an insult to Hindu gods and slammed people doing politics over the issue.
'I am telling this to everyone who does mean-minded politics...this is injustice and an insult to our gods. People have the right to follow their religion. So many people go to their ancestral homes during Durga Puja. Can we occupy their houses? What are you teaching people?' she said.
The row began when the fruit vendor went to his hometown, where a group of people planted a Tulsi in place of his shop.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee condemned the idea of observing June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'. She questioned whether democracy prevailed in the country under the current government.
Mamata Banerjee said, 'The Central government says that it will celebrate Samvidhan Hatya Diwas on completing 50 years of Emergency this year. I object to the statement 'Samvidhan Hatya'. The Constitution is the basis of our rights; it is the mother of democracy. How can they call it Samvidhan Hatya?'
She further said that a letter was received at the Secretariat stating that June 25 must be observed as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas.
'It is written that June 25 will be celebrated as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. The emergency did not kill any person. They could have celebrated Emergency Hatya Diwas also, but they are celebrating Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. I completely condemn this idea,' she said. (ANI)
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